The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-11-09


Facts for sentimentalists to Consider.
New York Tribune.
The efforts now making to secure from Gov
ernor Oelssby a Communication of the sentence of
the condemned Anarchists make it Of public
interest to review, in some detail, exactly what
was proved against them and each Of them upon
the trial The evidence carefully and
exhaustingly summed up in the decision Of the
Supreme Court of Illinois, which hold unan-
mously that vital errors were committed in
the court below. The decision of the Supreme
Court. written by Judge Magruder, occupied
thirty-four columns in q Chicago newspaper in
fine print. Only compact summary can be
given of the more important points.
The meeting at which ths bomb was thrown.
causing the death of policeman began and six
others, and seriously woundiug sixty more. was
hold May 4, 1886. during the excitement follow
ing the attempt to enforce the rule of eight hours
a working day and great strike which grew
out of this attempt. 1t was conceded that the
bomb killed Degau. Pieces taken from his body
proved it. 1t was conceded the other hand
that no one OF the defendants threw the bomb.
were guilty of conspiracy to bring about $50
cial revolution" as they called it, by force, on or
abont May l. or. in other words. to destroy the
police militia about that date with
hombg andArevolvers rifles. and were guilty
as accessories before the fact Of the murder OF
began. The Supreme Court carefully exam
1neG the evidence as REGARDS every one or the
men separately. and in each case unanimously
decided that the jury in the court below were
justified in finding the defendants guilty. Spies,
Schwab. Fielden, Parsons, Fischer, Engel and
Lingg were condemned to death, and Neebe to
imprisonment for fifteen years.
A GREAT CONSPIRACY.
The evidence before the court showed that
conspiracy for armed conflict with the police
OF wide extent and long standing. The
Anarchists and their sympathi zers have en-
deavored to create the impression that the
bomb-throwing was the chance act of some
known person. growing out Of resentment
against the police for attempting to dispense
the meeting and lay stress on the fact that the
day before one striker-nos six, the Anarch-
lists spea kers and editors said in order in
fame the workin gmen-had been killed by the
police. The evidence, the contrary, shows
that the period st which the effort to be
made to enforce the eght-hour rule DELHI
erately chosen beforehand by the Anarchist
conspirators as the time to undertake the armed
conflict with the police, in preparation for which
they had been secretly drilling in violation Of
law for many months previous.
years s' or more before the Haymar,
ket massacre secret organization
known as the International Workiuemen's Asso-
citation. The platform of this organization dis
tinctly declared that to the workingmen, ''there
is only one remedy left-force," and announced
its purpose rebellion" The organization
Chicago. The members were known by num-
beers. and not by names-for obvious reasons.
Certain numbers were armed with rifles. and
drilled regularly once . week at their places of
meeting. taking their rifles homo with them
after drill Those armed members were known
as the EARNED section" There was another or
ganization called the Lehr and Weir Verein,
whose mem bers belonged also to the inter-
national group. but seemed to be Of higher
rank, and to have attained greater proficiency
with the rifle than the ordinary members of the
rrna hpfn tHa
Haymarket massacre. or in 1879 this
organization numbered 1000 men, all armed
with rifles and drilling regularly at the a. Ansrch-
st headquarters. In the spring OF 1885 there
were in Chicago 5000 of these armed Socialists,
of whom Parions one OF the condemned men
most frequently mentioned as having a claim on
Governor Oglesbv's clemency. then said that
they were well armed with rifles and revolvers,
and would have dynamite aud bombs when they
got ready to use them"
Full details concerning these organizations
were obtained from members The Illinois Su-
preme Court declared that they constituted an
unlawful conspiracy. It's purpose was unlaw-
full, being avowedly to bring about "a social
revolution" by violence The utterances of
their newspapers and speakers show that this
violence was to consist OF the use OF bombs, re-
voivers and rifles against the police and militia.
The methods were unlawful The arning and
drilling Of these groups was in violation of law,
and could not have had peaceful and proper
object
THE WORK OF THE NEWSPAPERS.
The central authority of the organization had
its headquarters in the building occupied by
the Arbeiter Zeitung, and in room connected
with the Office of the paper. ALI the condemned
men had a share in the management of TIE pa
per. During the years 1885 and 1886 Spies,
Schwab, Parsons, Engel and Fielder, by
speeches and articles. persistentiy urged the
workngmen to prepare for the conflict WITH
s.the property-owning classes" and repeatedly
ad vised the purchase of rifles and dynamite.
Many of the articles In the Arbelter Zetung
were written by Schwab and Spies: the articles
In The Alarm, another Anarchist paper, by Par
sons and Spies. and in the Anarchist by Engel.
These articles are, 20 quote the Illinois Supreme
Court tsof the most violent and incendiary
character They not only recommend the
worklngmen ITO arm themselves with dynamite
and rifles" but they give specific instructions
how to handle and use dynamite and how to